Tower Floors Rising at Allied's Queen Richmond Centre West

The Entertainment District is in the midst of transforming into a high-density residential hub with the addition of countless high-rise condominiums, some complete, and many under construction. While the new condominiums will redefine the neighbourhood, the desirability of new employment space in the area is on the rise. Allied Properties REIT is responding to the new demand with the Queen Richmond Centre West (QRC West), a 17-storey office building currently under construction on the northwest corner of Richmond and Peter Streets.

Queen Richmond Centre West viewed from the south on Peter Street, image by Jack Landau

Designed by Sweeny &Co Architects in cooperation with Stephenson Engineering, QRC West's construction is already turning heads, as the building's impressive 5-storey atrium featuring three 70-foot-tall, steel 'delta frame' support structures. Engineered and supplied by local firm Cast ConneX, the steel delta frames will support the load of the development's tower floors above, while providing landmark status to the lobby.

Future 5-storey lobby at QRC West, image by Forum member Mafaldaboy

To the immediate south of the lobby, the historic warehouse building at the corner of the Richmond-Peter intersection has been strengthened to bear structural loads, as well as having had its brick skin restored and windows replaced.

QRC West seen from Richmond and Peter, image by Jack Landau

Tower floors are now rising above the over 90-year-old warehouse, and the new building is starting to make a visual impact from several angles. QRC West is promising to form an impressive terminating vista when viewed from the east on Richmond, owing to the street's slight dip to the south after crossing Peter Street.

Future 5-storey lobby at QRC West forming a terminating vista on Richmond, image by Forum member Mafaldaboy

From elevated positions, like the 17th floor observation deck at the Canada Life Assurance Building, QRC West's large floorplate is much more apparent. The image below also helps to better understand how the building will continue the western tapering-down of the Entertainment District skyline.

QRC West seen from the Canada Life Building, image by Jack Landau

To the immediate east of QRC West, Picasso Condos can be seen rising. Its eventual height will be 39 storeys, while QRC will top-off at 17 storeys (many fewer, but office floor heights are about a 1/3 higher than those in most condominiums).

QRC West seen from the Canada Life Building, image by Jack Landau

While condo construction now dominates the neighbourhood, the area's rebirth can be attributed to the creative industry offices and entertainment venues like theatres, clubs, and concert halls that moved into the aging warehouses over the recent couple of decades. This creative environment is still drawing in entertainment companies like Entertainment One (“eOne”), who has signed on as a tenant of QRC West, leasing up to 70,000 square feet of office space in the building.

QRC West seen from the south on Peter Street, image by Jack Landau

Looking for additional information on QRC West? A comprehensive collection of building facts and renderings can be found in our dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or add your voice in the comments section provided at the bottom of this page.